Climate Action Research TeamsClimate Action Research Teams: An Academic and Operational Partnership to Enhance Institutional Climate Action An Academic and Operational Partnership to Enhance Institutional Climate Action

The Climate Action Research Team class is funded as one of the Ithaca College Integrative Curriculum (IC2) demonstration courses. CARTs teams are purposely small – with only 8-10 students who are team-taught by faculty from a variety of academic disciplines, assisted by administrative staff. The Climate Action Research Team is also one of the showcase

examples of how the Climate Action Plan Education Implementation Team works within the academic framework to advance the stated goal of engaging faculty and students in meeting the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of the College’s approved Climate Action Plan.

Spring 2011 CARTs teamSpring 2011 CARTs team

Students:Students: Orhun Unsal ’11, Business Management Megan Weintraut ‘11, Mathematics Patricia Santelli ‘12, Environmental Science Victor Shelden ‘11, Environmental Studies Brennan McKenna ‘12, Business/Finance Lyndsey Lyman ‘13, Culture and Communication Taylor Borcyk ‘13, Mathematics Doug Indrick ‘11, Environmental Studies

Lead faculty:Lead faculty: Dr. Beth Ellen Clark Joseph, Physics Dr. Scott Erickson, Marketing and Law

Contributing faculty:Contributing faculty: Dr. Susan Allen-Gil, Environmental Studies and Sciences Dr. Susan Swensen, Biology Dr. Marlene Barken, Legal Studies Dr. Kathryn Caldwell, Psychology

Contributing administrative staff:Contributing administrative staff: Michelle Jones, Facilities Energy Manager Marian Brown, Special Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability George Lampila, Facilities Maintenance HVAC Mechanic Mark Darling, Sustainability Programs Coordinator for Facilities Peggy R. Williams Center “Green Team” members: Jaimie Voorhees, Lana Lomber, and Dave Bennett Andrea Clark, Facilities Interior Designer

Guest speakers:Guest speakers: Dominic Frongillo, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Energy Team Lew Durland, U.S. Green Building Council – NY Southern Tier chapter Quay Thompson, HOLT Architects

Objectives of the Climate Action Research Teams (CARTs) course: Provide students opportunities for “real-world”, hands-on projects Offer interdisciplinary teaching opportunities for faculty

Broaden campus participation in implementation of Ithaca College’s Climate Action Plan

Prepare students to work in a climate-constrained economy

CARTs course modulesCARTs course modules:• Climate change science• Greenhouse gas emissions inventories• Ithaca College Climate Action Plan• Campus buildings impact on climate action• LEED buildings• High-performance, sustainable buildings• “Behind the scenes” building HVAC tour• Energy audits• Energy Star Portfolio Manager system • Social marketing• Market research• Behavior change campaign strategies• Sustainability behavior• Regulatory policy and behavior change

CARTS Spring 2011 Class projectCARTS Spring 2011 Class projectThe Peggy R. Williams Center is Ithaca College’s second LEED Platinum-certified project. The building features ground-source heat-pump technology (a.k.a. “geothermal”) for building heating and cooling with extensive building automation and control systems. While offering a highly energy-efficient building system, there are too-frequent reports of occupant discomfort because the system has a slower demand-response time.

• CART team met with the Williams Center “green team” and building occupants to assess the root causes of the occupants’ feelings of discomfort. • CART team monitored room temperatures for several days to assess actual conditions.• CART team installed overhead air vent diffusers where appropriate to modify airflow.• CART team worked with some occupants and the campus interior designer to reconfigure office layouts to move occupants away from fresh air returns.• CART team provided training and information on the building HVAC system and the proper adjustment of the shared office “thermisters” to better control office comfort• CART team created marketing materials to encourage building occupants to take proactive steps to address their feelings of discomfort

CART team works with campus interior designer to reconfigure office layouts to

improve occupant comfort

CART team designed these informational posters to be placed on bulletin boards and affixed to the insideof bathroom stall doors throughout the Peggy R. Williams Center

CART team designing campaign materialsField-measuring office temperaturesCART team learns about building HVAC system design from Facilities mechanics

Lead faculty member Beth Clark and Energy Manager Michelle Jones meet with members

of the Williams Center “Green Team” to discuss occupant comfort issues.

Spring 2011 CART student team

Most of the Spring 2011 CART team!

Energy Manager Michelle Jones explains building energy reduction strategies.

George Lampila leads a “behind the scenes” building mechanical

system tour.

CART team faculty and student members learn new concepts together.

Lead faculty member Scott Erickson explains

social marketing.

This poster was accepted for presentation at the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in Pittsburgh PA in October 2011.

The Fall 2011 Climate Action Research Team is looking at ways to encourage energy-conserving behaviors by students living on-campus in residence halls at Ithaca College.

The Spring 2012 Climate Action Research Team will look at ways to encourage student, faculty and staff use of alternative transportation modes for campus commuting.